The Boy, the Raven, and the Vulture
by PartyDarnit
Summary: Three men trapped in a cave. One boy, one raven, and a vulture. One is dieing while the other protects him from the one who is trying to kill them both. Who will survive? –Blood/Char. Death- Slight OOCness.


Summary: Three men trapped in a cave. One boy, one raven, and a vulture. One is dieing while the other protects him from the one who is trying to kill them both. Who will survive? –Blood/Char. Death- Slight OOCness.

Author's Note: Ok this is about half the story because my computer ate the other half so if people want the first half up then tell me in a reviews. I want put it up anyway if I type it up again. 

Enjoy and review please!

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**The boy, the raven, and the vulture**

"I don't want to die…I want to see Sasori-Danna again…but I don't want to die, un…" The words from broken blonde break the silence between the three in the suffocating cave. 

"I know…" A hand gently rubs the broken boy's back, red eyes watch over him, watching as the life slipped away from him, holding no emotion toward the dying boy. Unable to. 

A once lone bright blue eye was now grey with agony and sorrow. His blonde hair is clumped with dirt and blood from being struck in the head from one of the falling boulders that blocked the entrance to the cave they had been trapped in for three days now. And his skin was a pale white from the massive blood loss from the gapping, infected wound in his side that as ANBU had given him. He was curled in the raven's lap, whining and whimpering like a puppy that had just been struck by a car and left in the middle of the road to be struck again. Weak, defenseless, and desperate for any kind of protection. Even of that of a man who had murder his whole clan without regret and was hated by every fiber of his being. 

"Shut up, Blondie. No one gives a damn." The man from across the two remarks cruelly. Violet eyes full of glee watch them like a vulture. Waiting for fading one to drop so he could feed on his blood and give his soul to his god. He also holds no pity toward his prey only impatience. Like when a cobra strikes, injecting its poison into its meal but its prey gives a fight and refuses to die even as it suffers a slow and painful death.

The red eyes that had been watching over the boy, move to meet the violet, bloodthirsty ones. They held a look of death in them making the other laugh, unfazed by the unsaid threat. He wasn't going to break for anything. He was too close to getting his prize to let it slip away to show any regret or pity. The Sharingan welder knew this much to well about the Jashinist that continued to circle them with his eyes. He would do anything for the blonde's life and his also. 

His own chakra was weak as his own life was slowly slipping from his grasp. It was becoming harder to keep his blood limited eyes activated but it was the only thing that kept the vulture that watched them at bay. Only thing that protected the dieing artist in his lap. 

Coughing from the boy broke the silence once more, crimson blood stained the older man's cloak. The owner of it sat him up and patted his back to try and help it pass. He struggles to breathe as he begins to cough up large amounts of blood. His breathing comes in gurgling, gasping chokes. He reaches up; leaving red marks as his black-painted nails fiercely dig into his own throat. His visible eye rolls up, showing the bottom of his iris and veins. 

'_Kami. He's having a seizure.' _ Was the first thought that ran through the man's head as he watched the convulsing artist in his lap. He had seen penalty of people have seizures before but he never knew how to save someone from one. 

The choking continued. The choking blonde had now dug his nails so deep he had created thin, long, bleeding slashes down his neck. Blood, drool, and what appeared to be vomit leak from the sides of his mouth. His mouth is agape and was clear to see his tongue had slid down was now blocking his windpipe. He was choking to death. 

The raven grabs his chin and pushes his fingers into the boy's mouth. His probing fingers found his tongue and gripped the tip of it but it slipped. He grips it again but the same thing happened as before. Suddenly, the boy's teeth clamp down on his fingers, biting down to the bone and blood poured into his mouth. The Uchiha couldn't feel the pain as he continued his struggle to clear the artist's windpipe before his choked to death before him. 

Over the horrid, choking sounds admitting from the boy you could hear laughter. Laughter that loud and amused. The kind of laughter you get when a prank works or someone does something stupid. It bounces off the walls of the cramped caves and echoes in the raven's ears. The follower and his god are laughing at the scene before them. A normal man would be outraged and would have attacked the laughing man but the Uchiha prodigy was no normal man and was not bothered by it…much.

The attempts to save the boy's life continue to fail. Time was running out. The blonde's face has taken a bluish shade as he continues to choke to death. The raven's fingers are bitten, bloody, and burned worse then hell but are continued to be shoved in the dieing boy's mouth and down his throat to save him. 

Finally, after what seemed in eternity. He did it. He grasps his tongue once more, using his fingers as twizzers as he pulls the tongue back up his throat into his mouth. The arsonist gives a few more choking gasps before his breathing settles into rapid pants. He grips the older man's cloak as he coughs into it, wetting it with blood and vomit. 

The Uchiha pats and rubs the coughing boy's back to get his breathing back to normal. His fingers throb and bleed from the bites but he didn't care. The only thing he cares about was keeping the poor boy alive until their partners found them. He is surprised he had lasted this long but the raven knew it wouldn't last. He was dieing and that was all to it.

The laughing from across the dark cave continues but was louder to a point where the Jashinist sounds like he was choking himself. "O-O-Oh that was fucking rich! You should have seen you're fucking face, Blondie! It was the best damn thing I've ever seen!" He continues laughing. A loud, twisted laughter that makes the blonde whimper and press himself closer to his guardian. The man reacting by wrapping the boy in his cloak, hiding him from view of the vulture. 

The laughter continues for what seemed like forever until it slowly fades away into nothing. The hours were deafening as they passed in the small cave. The boy had two more episodes but the raven made sure they weren't as bad as the first. 

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It was night now again. The light for the moon shines into the small hole from above the boulders into the cave. It was enough for the raven to see the vulture and keep an eye on him enough with his eyesight that was failing him more and more with each passing day. His eyes had faded from their red irises to onyx. The vulture moved closer when seeing this. Claws ready for the kill. The Uchiha stayed alert though. Due to years of being pledged by nightmares. He rarely ever slept and it never appeared to bother him.

The boy had fallen asleep. Curled up in the warm enclosure that had been provided for him though was shaking slightly. One arm was carefully placed around his waist while the other stoked his dirty, matted hair. The Uchiha is careful of his wound. He didn't want it to open. If it did. The bleeding wouldn't be able to be stopped this time and the boy would surely die from it. The blood would attract the attention of the vulture that was roosted less then twenty feet away. Rouse him from his slumber and encourage him to strike. 

"I-Itachi…?" A hushed whisper said. The raven tears his eyes from the sleeping Jashinist to the boy in his lap. The one remaining grey orb gazes up at his onyx orbs. The other eye had been cruelly torn out with a kunai. 

"Hmm?" The hand in his blonde hair moves to his dirty cheek, gently stoking it then is jerked away. His skin is burning with the reawakened fever that had been sleeping since morning. "Your fever has returned."

"Do you think they'll ever find us, un?" The question was fearful as the eye continues to stare up at the man, searching him for some hopeful answer. But they both knew there wasn't one. Only time could tell if they would ever be found. 

"I don't know…" The raven whispers to the broken boy. All hope that was flaming in his eye burned out at the words. Their gaze breaks as the blonde moves his face to the Uchiha's neck, drifting back to his uncomfortable sleep. His forehead is hot against the man's neck with fever but it doesn't bother him the least. 

Silence had fallen back over them in the as hours slowly dragged by once more. The worshiper had aroused from his sleep during this time and continued his prowl on his two preys as them slowly died before him. It brought a twisted smile to the man's face at the sweet sight of it. To the Uchiha. It made him feel like the zealot was watching the Uchiha massacre through his eyes. Something that was so gruesome and violet, it would have made the Jashinist probably die from amusement from the sight of it. 

No words were exchanged. Their eyes said everything as violet glared into onyx. Their eyes didn't break for anything. If they did. It may result in a terrible catastrophe for the dieing boy that desperately hung onto what little life he had left. 

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Morning came and marked the end of their third day and beginning of their fourth and quite possibly their last day if any mistakes were made. The sun shines into the cave, lighting it and giving them complete view of the other. Watching even the slightest movement of the other.

"No…make him leave me alone…I don't want to die…not yet…leave me alone…no, no, no…please no…" The broken boy's voice comes in pleading whispers, breaking the silence between the two. His body shakes and his face showing pure terror as he continues his desperate pleads toward an anonymous person. 

"Please no…no!" Sweat glosses on the boy's skin as he squirms in his protector's arms, taking the image of a defenseless, little child. His hand grips the man's shoulder as his other balls itself in his fishnet shirt. The Uchiha didn't look away or even allow the smallest hint of pain come over his features as the teeth of the boy's palm mouth dig themselves into his shoulder. Blood and drool seeps for the newly inflected wound. 

The sound of sobbing and the boy's pitiful pleas fill the small cave. The boy's chest heaves, sweat covers him, and his cheeks are wet with tears. "No…please someone help me…" His pleas continue, becoming more pathetic and desperate with each one. 

The arm around his waist tightens as a hand buries itself back in his hair. The Sharingan welder rocks the blonde in his lap, trying to rouse him out of his nightmare while also calming him down. Soon the boy hushes as he awakes from the horrific slumber. His eye is red and glossed over with unshed tears as he gazes up at the older man with the look of fear still glued to his face. 

"He's going to get me, un. He wants me to die! I don't want to die! I want to live! I want to see Tobi again, un!" 

"Shh…no one is going to get you I promise." The Uchiha whispers to the terrified artist as he continues to rock him in his lap and stroke his hair. 

"Hahaha! That's right, Dei-chan. Be afraid for your soul and pink eye's soul shall soon belong to Jashin!" The vulture taunts and his laughter filled the cave once more. The raven holds the boy tighter against him, trying anything in his power to protect him for such a horrid death. 

The laughter didn't last as the Jashinist turns away from the two to worship his god. The boy whimpered and buried his face in the prodigy's chest as the insane man moaned when he stabbed himself for his god then laid down to rest. Blood pouring from his chest where the pike had been stabbed through. The smell of the disgusting, crimson liquid joined the smell of vomit and filled the cramped cave.

"He's going to get me, un…I can't go much longer…" The boy whispers. His voice was quiet and choking as new sobs form in his chest. 

"He won't. The others will find us before he has a chance to kill you. I won't let him touch you or even have a chance to give you to that crazy god of his." The Uchiha whispers back as he gazes down at the shaking artist. 

"Not Hidan…Sasori-Danna." 

The raven gives him a curious look, wondering what he could possibly mean. "Sasori?" 

"Yes…he's trying to get me to join him, un. I couldn't move…the coils…he was trying to make me into one of his puppets, un…I'm dieing because of him…He's trying to get me to kill myself for him…I won't last much longer, un…" A choked sob escapes the boy's chest as he cries once more. 

The onyx eyes that watch him narrow into a sad gaze. He places his uninjured fingers under the boy's chin and lifts his head up so their eyes lock. "He's dead. He can't harm you. I won't let him." 

A sad smile spreads across the broken artist's lips at the words. The pain and sadness in his eye are replaced with comfort and hope.

The two sat in silence. The raven cradles the boy in his lap as he continues to stroke his hair and whisper comforting words in his ear. The boy holds onto his guardian, his lips graced with a small smile with his remaining eye closed as he was lulled back to sleep. 

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Thirty minutes have gone by in a few seconds it seemed and the vulture awake from his own slumber. The insane, blood-thirsty look has returns to his violet orbs as he glares at the raven. No. The look is worse this time. The raven held his defense, unsure if the vulture was planning to strike. 

"Jashin is getting impatient. I'm asking nicely, pink eye. Hand over the fucking blonde and I might spare your life for now. If not. Then I'll kill you both now." The Uchiha didn't reply. A sick, twisted smile spreads itself across the Jashinist's lips from the lack of answer. 

"So be it. Your fate had been sealed!" The vulture throws his head back and lets out a menacing laugh that even brought chills to the Uchiha prodigy's spine. The zealot picks up his soul-stealer, his tri-bladed scythe, and closes in, slow and steady. The smile never leaving his lips or the look of insanity leaving his eyes. Such force brought the blades upwards just as quickly and forcefully as it did downwards, the scythe seemed to fluctuate as the blades were planning on claiming yet another soul.Though, the speed of the blades is shortened as if he is giving the raven a chance to run. He raptly halts his scythe by locking his wrist in place. Trying to get his prey to run for his sick and twisted game he was about to perform.

Suddenly, voices are heard outside, distracting the predator as he snaps his head toward the source of the sound. The voices get closer and are clear now. It's them. They had found them. The hole at top of the boulders is filled with an orange mask as it gazes down at them. "Tobi found them! Tobi is a good boy!" The boy behind the mask cries gleefully as another voice speaks and he pulls away. 

The vulture lets out a loud curse as he directs his attention back to his prey. So close. He's taking it. Letting out a loud laughter, he brings the scythe down. The blades whistling as they slice through the air and toward the bodies. 

The raven shuts his eyes and wraps his arms around the boy's smaller form, awaiting death to come. There's a loud cracking sound then sound of the boulders falling once more. Seconds pass and everything is quiet. The raven opens his eyes. 

The vulture is frozen in place. Samehada over his head while the tanned hand of the zealot's partner holds the scythe from claiming the souls it had aimed for. The vulture's face in pale and his eyes are rolled back. The cause of the chakra being eaten from his body from the shark skinned sword. The two move away and he falls back with a loud thud and clang as his blade hit the cave floor. 

The boy wearing the mask runs to his senpai that is sleeping peacefully in the raven's lap but is stopped by the masked man and is told to wait outside. The boy obeys with a, "Tobi is a good boy!" before running off. 

"Itachi-san! Are you all right? What about Deidara?" The raven's worried blue-skinned partner asks as he helps the Uchiha up. He doesn't respond as he pushes the boy into his partner's arms. 

"Get Deidara back to the hideout as quickly as possible and get Sir Leader to look over him." With a nod, the shark man takes off out of the cave. 

A sigh escapes the raven's lips. Everything was fine now. The boy would be taken cared of and would live. 

Suddenly the sound of cursing sounds from behind him. The banker yells at the Uchiha to watch out but it's too late. The prodigy turns to see a blur of red and silver then nothing. 

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The raven wakes up to see white everywhere. The color hurts his eyes and he closes them before opening them again. This time isn't as bad as they adjust to the bright room. His head throbs with a migraine and his body aches.

His onyx orbs move around the room. It is like a hospital room. White, plain, and the sound of different types of beeping fill the room. He gazes down at his arms. Several wires are plugged into them, reading and pumping liquids into him. 

The door to the room opens to reveal his partner. The man gives him a sharp, toothy smile as he moves a chair next to the bed and sits down. "Hey there, Itachi-san. About time you woke up. You've been out for three days. Hidan sure did a number on you. Good thing it was only a cut instead of your whole head." He gives a low, rumbling laugh. 

The Uchiha reaches up and feels his forehead. Bandages are wrapped around them and he can fell stitches under them. He pulls his hand away and moves his attention to his partner who is still smiling as he looks at him. 

"Where's Deidara?" The raven asks. The smile fades away into a deep frown and sadness fills the blue-skinned man's eyes from the question. A deep breath is taken in the exhaled loudly. "He didn't make it."

A frown presents itself on the prodigy's face and the other man continues. "Suicide." Confusion fills the raven's eyes at the word. "Suicide?"

A nod. "I'm sorry Itachi-san. I did as you told and went as fast as I could but I just couldn't get him there in time." 

"What happened?" The shark man flinches at the tone his young partner's voice has taken. 

"He was talking in his sleep saying things like, 'No…not yet.' And 'I won't let you kill me!' I thought he was having a nightmare so I woke him up but…he wasn't the same. You should have seen it, Itachi-san. He was mad looking. He began to say something about dieing and Sasori…then he reached up all of a sudden and just ripped out his throat."

Silence finds its way in the room. The shark man clears his throat as he gets up. "I should leave and let you sleep." With that, he leaves the room, leaving the raven to process the information in his head. One word comes to mind, _Sasori._

The Uchiha covers his face with his hands and gives a frustrated growl. If only he would have taken the boy back then this wouldn't have happened. Many thoughts run through his head as of what he could have done to save the poor boy's life. 

He sits there for hours, unmoving. If someone were to walk in, they would know why. 

Itachi Uchiha. The same man who killed his best friend for power. Killed his whole clan without a second thought or regret and made his brother mentally unstable and destroyed his life. Was crying. 


End file.
